Broker Compare build crowdfunding momentum with message for parents

As an equity crowdfunding campaign for comparison business Broker Compare enters its final week, the company has explained how its tools could prove valuable for parents saving on behalf of their children. According to CEO, Stuart Millson, parents could help themselves and their children with higher education costs, through 'play it safe' investments - those with a 99% chance of outperforming cash savings.

"As the latest set of Freshers heads off for their first taste of freedom and all the excess that brings with it, it is easy to think of young people as being the biggest risk takers in society", explains Stuart. "But financially we couldn't be more wrong. Only 1.5% of under 35s invest in a stocks and shares ISAs, despite research by Barclays Bank showing that there is a 99% chance that stock market investments will outperform cash savings over a 20-year period."

Millson is on a mission to start an 'investment revolution' by simplifying the process for personal investment with Broker Compare. The easy-to-use site offers a bespoke comparison tool that ranks stock brokers based on cost to an individual investor, ensuring users find the best possible deal for them. The aim is to encourage the average person to invest their money, rather than relying solely on saving through their bank.

So how does this affect new parents? As Millson explains: "the average cost of university education is now £27,000, plus living costs, and will almost inevitably set to rise over the 18 years of their child's life. It makes financial sense to opt for an investment opportunity that offers the best possible returns." Millson acknowledges that investments are not a black and white decision. "There are of course risks to stock market portfolios, however a new parent has 18 years to smooth the ups and downs of the stock market before university admissions officers come knocking.

"There is a market of 10.3 million people in the UK who have the capacity to invest, but many are put off because the choice of provider is overwhelming. The complexity of the process to find a stockbroker causes investors to waste, by our calculation, £420 million each year by using the wrong broker for their needs, and puts other people off from investing altogether. We want to simplify the process and make investing accessible to all."

The crowdfunding campaign, which has a target of £250,000, will close on 27 October. Investors can back the campaign with as little as £10. “We're looking for investors large and small alike," says Stuart, "starting at no more than a round of drinks, something even the Freshers can afford!”.